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  1. #1
    Senior Member CountFloyd's Avatar
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    Bush says feds can open mail without warrant

    Bush says feds can open mail without warrant

    By James Gordon Meek
    New York Daily News

    WASHINGTON — President Bush quietly has claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant.

    Bush asserted the new authority Dec. 20 after signing legislation that overhauls some postal regulations. He then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open mail under emergency conditions, contrary to existing law and contradicting the bill he had just signed, according to experts who have reviewed it.

    A White House spokeswoman disputed claims that the move gives Bush any new powers, saying the Constitution allows such searches.

    Still, the move, one year after The New York Times' disclosure of a secret program that allowed warrantless monitoring of Americans' phone calls and e-mail, caught Capitol Hill by surprise.

    "Despite the president's statement that he may be able to circumvent a basic privacy protection, the new postal law continues to prohibit the government from snooping into people's mail without a warrant," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the incoming House Government Reform Committee chairman, who co-sponsored the bill.

    Experts said the new powers could be easily abused and used to vacuum up large amounts of mail.

    "The [Bush] signing statement claims authority to open domestic mail without a warrant, and that would be new and quite alarming," said Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies in Washington.

    "You have to be concerned," a senior U.S. official agreed. "It takes executive-branch authority beyond anything we've ever known."

    A top Senate Intelligence Committee aide promised a review of Bush's move.

    "It's something we're going to look into," the aide said.

    Most of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act deals with mundane changes. But the legislation also explicitly reinforces protections of first-class mail from searches without a court's approval.

    Yet, in his statement, Bush said he will "construe" an exception, "which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail otherwise sealed against inspection in a manner consistent ... with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances."

    Bush cited as examples the need to "protect human life and safety against hazardous materials and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection."

    White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore denied Bush was claiming new authority.

    "In certain circumstances — such as with the proverbial 'ticking bomb' — the Constitution does not require warrants for reasonable searches," she said.

    Bush, however, cited "exigent circumstances" that could refer to an imminent danger or a long-standing state of emergency.

    Critics noted the administration could obtain a warrant quickly from a court or a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge, and the Postal Service could block delivery.

    But the Bush White House appears to be taking no chances, national-security experts agreed.

    Martin said Bush is "using the same legal reasoning" as he did with warrantless eavesdropping.

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/n ... ail04.html
    It's like hell vomited and the Bush administration appeared.

  2. #2
    Hawkeye's Avatar
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    This is wrong. The USSC needs to slap him back down. Bush is beginning to think he's a king with absolute powers. If the government wants to open someones mail they should get a warrant.

  3. #3
    Senior Member IndianaJones's Avatar
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    What is the pres planning on finding in the mail? Which mail, who's mail? If the pres wanted to catch any terrorists, everyday offers a new opportunity to catch them at the border. Protect the 'homeland'? Not likely. Who's home? Who's land? Not American citizens'. They are having their land invaded, their farms vandalized, their dogs and other animals killed and their rights taken away. Years ago, a farmer or landowner put up a "NO TRESPASSING" sign and stated that trespassers would be shot. That was his legal right and the law defended him. Now we cannot even speak without being theatened, sued and may be even imprisoned. New Word Order (UN) wants to take away the guns first, then they want the pres to do something about the unamiable UN-dissenters in this country. In the near future of 'hate-crimes', freedom to speak your mind is not advised. Musn't hurt any terrorists' feelings or call anyone a slimeball or give your opinion or say you like the color purple better than green. Don't get anyone angry or hurt anyone's itty feelings. It's all coming to a one world government near you. Our freedoms are being eroded daily and legislation criminalizing 'hate-crimes' will focus on speech and communications of all types. Farenheit 451, fiction becomes non-fiction only much, much worse.
    We are NOT a nation of immigrants!

  4. #4
    Senior Member CountFloyd's Avatar
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    This government is becoming eerily similar to the one that took over Germany in 1933. That government also declared that it needed extra-legal powers to protect the state from its many enemies, particularly those within its borders, and met with surprisingly little opposition from the political, intellectual, and business elites of the time.
    It's like hell vomited and the Bush administration appeared.

  5. #5
    Senior Member jp_48504's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CountFloyd
    This government is becoming eerily similar to the one that took over Germany in 1933. That government also declared that it needed extra-legal powers to protect the state from its many enemies, particularly those within its borders, and met with surprisingly little opposition from the political, intellectual, and business elites of the time.
    So very true Count....
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